Heater



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E. S. WILBER.

HEATER.

No. 412,443. n Patented ont. 8, 1.889.

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HEATER.

UNITEDV 'STATES PATENT ELIJAH S. VVILBER, OF ENGLEWOOD, ILLINOIS.

HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming. part of :Letters*Patent No. 412,443, dated October 8, 1889; Application iiled November 26,1888. Serial No. 291,853. (No model.)

Vis a speciiication.

My invention relates, particularly, to improvements in the class of heater employed -for heating wat-er or steam and circulating it through a' system of piping extending into apartments to be heated from the heating device, from and to which the piping leads, to circulate the heating medium from the heater and return it thereto in its cooled condition to be reheated.

The principal object of'm'y improvement is to afford a construction of heater whereby the products of combustion of the fuel employed for generating the heat producing the circulation shall be used up to an extent that will leave un'utilized for heating only about sufficient to insure the required draft through the flue, for which, of course, some heat is essential.

As heaters of the class to which my improvement relates are ordinarily constructed a very considerable portion of the heat gen-Y erated in the furnaces is not absorbed by the circulated fluid, butlpasses off through the i'lues, thereby causing proportionate loss by waste. The cause of this loss is due to the arrangement of parts whereby the return fluid from the system of circulation enters the furnace nearest its base, where the products of combustion are hottest, and discharges into the system at a higher point in the furnace. Thus the cooler fluid on entering the furnace is subjected to the hottest part of the fire, and as it rises7 which it does through one or-more water-legs, coils, or other form of receptacles inthe path of the products of combustion on its way to the outlet into the system of circulation, it becomes hotter and hotter, absorbing heat from the rising products of combustion, but not all it is capable of absorbing as they pass it, owing to the more rapid rise of the latter than of the fluid. Thus the fluid, though its heat increases at it rises, absorbs only a portion of the heat which passes it, and the remainder, which is a very large proportiomclears the fluid-holders and escapes through the flue into space. As the fluid in a cooler condition absorbs heat more readily than as its condition becomes warmer, it requires a more 'intense heat to affect it in the same degree when it is hot than when it is cool; hence when it rises with products of combustion, after havingv been subjected to the latter at its coolest temperature, it will absorb in proportion less heat, and consequently fail to utilize a considerable portion of the heat. I overcome this tendency to waste of fuel by Yproviding a construction whereby the return fluid may be introduced to the heater at the farthest point from the fire-chamber and taken out near the latter, where it is subj ected to the greatest heat, thereby reversing the construction herein referred to as being the ordinary, and presenting the fluid in its coolest condition to the products of combustion where they have spent considerable of their heat, but a large portion of the remainder of which is readily absorbed by the return or cooled fluid, and allowing the latter to move gradually toward the hottest part of the tire, whereby as the iiuid becomes hotter it is subjected to heat the intensity of which is .continually increasing.

Further objects of my improvement are to produce the consumption of smokeand to provide a heater of generally improved construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l shows in sectional side elevation a construction of heater involving my improvements. Fig. 2 shows the same in sectional front elevation. Fig. 3 shows a horizontal section; I

and Figs. 4 and 5 are broken, respectively, perspective and plan views showing details of construction.

'Adenotes 'the walls or the shell of the heater, which may be formed of brick part- Way up from its base and of sheet or cast metal above the brick, as shown, or entirely of brick or of sheet metal, and if the latter the shell is preferably constructed in a series of sections, each formed in two parts, hinged together to enable any portion of the interior to be opened up at will, as set forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 326,004, granted me on the 8th day of September, 1885. As the form of the shell is shown to IOO be rectangular, the following description is confined to a rectangular furnace and to a hot-water heater, though it is not to be understood that my improvements, or any of 5 them, are to be limited thereto, since from my description any person skilled in the art to which my invention relates will be enabled to apply it to any form of the heater, and whether the latter be employed for hot-water 1o or steam heat-ing.

B is the fire-chamber, (shown to be of the full dimensions of the interior of the shell A,) and having for its base a grate C, which may be rigid, as shown, or adapted to be shakem and the grate separates the firechamber from the ash-pit D, between the doors r and r', leading, respectively, into the lire-chamber and ash-pit.

At opposite sides, and at the back of the 2o fire-chamber and supported on ledges q, Fig.

2,111 the walls, are metal, preferably cast-iron rectangular receptacles E E, intercommuni eating through a pipe E over the door-opening r, and one of which is supplied through a 2 5 feed-pipe p, which leads from a returirwater manifold N,.hereinafter described, and enters the receptacle E near its base through the furnace-wall, and the receptacle E communicates from-near its top, through a pipe 3o p,with the outlet manifold lll, hereinafter described. The receptacles E ador-d a waterback. On the side ledges q, in front of the receptacles E, are metal plates n, aifording lining and forming air-spaces o between them and the water-back, and the plates n are connected near their rear ends by links m2, each to a disk F, (see Fig. 3,) eccentrically thereof, the disk being supported on a rod m, extending through the'rear wall of 4o the furnace and having a handle mv,whereby,

when the rod is turned on its axis, thesimultaneous turning of the disk, owing to the manner of the connection therewith of the plates n, spreads the latter apart for a purpose hereinafter described.

On the grate C is a plate G, forming the back of the fire-chamber, across which it extends into contact at its ends with the lining, and supported in vertical position on the 5o grate. The back G is movable back and forth on the grate-bars, an eye l being provided at -its rear side to be engaged by a hook on the end of a rod, (not shown,) which is passed for the purpose through an opening x in the rear wall of the furnace. The wall or back G may be adjusted, by moving it in the proper direction, to augment or decrease the size of the fire-chamber to adapt it to holdvthe quantity of fuel suitable for colder or warmer weather,

oo it being necessary, however, before moving the back, in order to release it, because it is held at its lateral ends between the liningplates n, to spread the latter apart in the man ner described. When the back has been moved to a desired position, the lining-plates may be brought against its lateral edges again to assist in holding it upright.

As it is desirable to prevent the spreading of the products of combustion from the firechamberinto the space behind the back G, an apron H is extended over such space from the rear of the furnace to the upper edge of the back. Owing to the movable nature of the back G, however, the apron should be constructed to fold. .Accordingly I form it in sections s, overlapping each other, as shown in Figs. l and 5, and having transverse slots cl, and connect the sections together by pins la and 7a2. In folding the apron the pins k move with the sections, near the edges of which they are rigidly secured in the slots k of adjacent sections, into which slots they extend, and the slots k in the other sections move on the pins k2 of the respectively adjacent sections, thereby permitting ready folding of the apron. In unfolding or extending the sections of course the pins 7a2 move in the slots, and the respective slots move on the pins 7c.

Thus movement of the back G to reduce the' size of the fire-chamber extends the apron, and its movementto enlarge the lire-chamber folds the apron.

I I are receptacles, formed preferably of cast-iron and of rectangular shape, and snpn ported at intervals to leave between them spaces 7L, at the opposite ends of one of their two narrower sides, on the lateral water-back receptacles E, the receptacles I thus extending transversely across the interior of the heater and being supported in horizontal series. The receptacles have at their opposite ends lateral flanges t2, and their upper ends also extend beyond the sides in the form of anges i. (See Fig. 4.) When the receptacles are placed together in horizontal series, the flanges t2 meet, as illustrated, as also the flanges at the tops, the latter thus practically forming a continuous plate 2', thercbyclosing the passages 7L at their lateral and upper ends, except as to the upper end, between the rearmost pair, where an open passage g is provided, as shown in Fig. 1. Each receptacle I contains near one end a vertical partition I', extending from its upper side nearly to the bottom, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Directly above the series of receptacles I is a corresponding series K, each formed like a receptacle I and having spaces 7L between them, and each containing a partition K', preferably in line with the partition in the receptacle I below it and extending from the base of the receptacle containing it nearly to the top thereof. Each of the receptacles K is connected with and supported on the receptacle I below it through the medium of a coupling f,commnni eating at opposite ends With the receptacles it connects, respectively, between the partitions I and K and the adjacent walls of the receptacles. A plate t', produced like the plate t', covers the receptacles K and passages h between them, except between the two nearest the front side of the heater, to produce an open passage g', which leads to the chimney L. The number of series of receptacles I and K IOO IIO

intercommunicating in pairs, as described, need not be confined to the two illustrated, but may be increased, if desired, and it is within the spirit of my invention to employ only two of the receptacles I and K. Each receptacle I communicates, through a pipe e from near the top of its lateral end opposite that at which vthe partition I is provided, with a manifold M, the manifold being common to all the receptacles I, and the system of circulating-pipes (not shown) leads from it. Each receptacle K communicates, through a pipe c from near the base of its lateral end. corresponding with that of each receptacle I from which a pipe c leads, with a manifold N, common to all the receptacles K, and into which the return water of the circulation enters.

The operation is as follows: rlhe returnwater enters the manifold N and passes through the pipes c into each of the receptacles K, wherein it rises and flows over the partitions K and through the coupling-pipes f into the receptacles I, in which it rises to the outlet-pipes c and passes into the manifold M, whence it is circulated through the apartments to be heated. The products of combustion rise from the fire-chamber and pass along the lower surfaces of and in the lspaces hbetween the series of receptacles I, thence through the open passage g beneath and into the spaces h between the series of receptacles K', Ainto the chimney L through the open passage g. Thus the heat is maintained long in contact with the receptacles, and especially so in the spaces h and h', wherein, and particularly in the former, the heat becomes so intense that it produces consumption of practically all the smoke of the products of combustion, which, when they eventually reach the chimney, have a veryV low temperature, having parted with nearly all their heat, and are substantially devoid of smoke.

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen that where the return fluid enters the heater the products of combustion are least hot,but that owing to the comparatively cool state of the return fluid it is in a condition to take ,up a very large proportion of their heat; that the construction afforded byv 'the partitions K prevents too rapid outiiow from the receptacles K of the fluid, which,

when heated as described, enters the receptacles I, wherein it is subjected to a more intense heat; being there nearer the fire, and whence it rises into the manifold M, and that the cooler water thus is caused to absorb the heat where the supply is less intense, while as it becomes heated it is subjected -to the influence of a more intense heat, thereby thoroughly utilizing the heat contained in the products of combustion.

If desired, a pan (not shown) may be imposed upon the plate i, to catch any ashes and soot that may fall from the surfaces of the receptacles K, and maybe inserted into position andwithdrawn through a suit-able opening (not shown) in the back of the furnace.

With the shell constructed in sections, as described in my aforesaid former patent, whereby ready access may be had to any part of the interior of the furnace, any pair of rej ceptacles I. K by uncoupling them from the manifolds may, if requiring repair or to be removed, be withdrawn without interferlng more than temporarily with the operation of the heater, thereby affording convenience, especially where, as in country places, 1t 1s not easy to have the necessary repairing done speedily, and with the construction of shell A illustrated the same operation may be performed on raising the hinged doors A and A2, provided in or forming one side of the upper part of the shell, as shown in `Fig. 2.

Vhile I have shown and described my improved heater as containing rectangular receptacles I and K, it is obviously, and intended to be, included as within the spirit of my invention to employ any form of receptacle, provided the return iuid be introduced with relation to its outlet farthest from the fire, and that it be brought nearest to the fire before its egress, and that suitable devices be provided to perform the functions of the partitions K and I', whether such devices be inside or outside the receptacles.

The adjustable back, combined with .the folding apron and the water-back and liningplates, affording air-spaces between them, and various other details herein described, and illustrated in the drawings, are included in a separate application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 311,614, filed May 2l, 1889.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a heater substantially of the nature set forth, in combination with the shell and {ire-chamber, a pair of intercommunicating fluid-receptacles forming, respectively, a receptacle for the cooler or return iuid and a receptacle for the discharge or heated fluid, the latter being nearest and the former farther from the fire-chamber, and partitions for the said receptacles, one extending from the lower part of the return-fluid receptacle toward its top and the other from the upper part of the discharge-fluid receptacle toward its base, substantially as described.

2. In a heater substantially of the nature set forth, in combination with the shell and fire-chamber, a pair of intercommunicating Huid-receptacles supported one above the other within the shell, a manifold for the return fluid communicating with the upper of said receptacles,a manifold for the supply of heated fluid communicating with the lower of said receptacles, and partitions for the said receptacles,.one extending from the lower part of the return-iuid receptacle toward its top and the other from the upper part of the discharge-fluid receptacle toward its base, substantially as described.

3. In a heater substantially of the nature IOO set forth, in combination with the shell and {ire-chamber, a pair of intercommunicating iuid-i'eceptaclesl and K, the latter supported above the former within the shell,a partition I for the receptacle I, extending from its upper side short of its base, a partition K for the receptacle K, extending from its base short of its upper side, a return-Huid inlet e', leading into the receptacle K near its base, and an outlet e for the heated Huid, leading from the receptacle I near its top, substantially as described.

4. In a heater substantially of the nature set forth, in combination with the shell and tire-chamber, a series of receptacles I, supported within the shell near the fire-chamber at intervals aitording intervening spaces 7L, a cover i, surmounting the said receptacles and closing` the spaces h, an open passage g between two of the rearmost receptacles, a Series of receptacles K, supported above the receptacles I at intervals aliording intervening spaces 71 and each communicating with one of the last-named receptacles, a cover i', surlnounting the receptacles K and closing the spaces 71,', an open passage g between two of the foremost receptacles K, an inlet-opening e,for return fluid in each receptacle K, and an outlet-opening c for the heated fluid in each receptacle I, substantially as described.

5. In a heater substantially of the nature set forth, in combination with the shell and tire-chamber, a series of receptacles I, supported within the shell near the fire-chamber at intervals affording intervening air-spaces h, a cover c', surmounting the said receptacles and closing the spaces 7L, an open passage g between two of the rearmost receptacles, a partition I', and an outlet e for the heated Huid in each receptacle La manifold M, coinmunieating with the outlets e, a series of rcceptacles K, supported above the receptacles I at intervals affording intervening spaces 7L and each communicating with one of the lastnamed receptacles, a cover i', surmounting the receptacles K and closing the spaces h', an open passage g between two of the foremost receptacles K, a partition K', and an outlet e for the return fluid in each of the last-named receptacles, and a manifold N, com1nunieating with the inlets e', substantially as described.

ELIJAII WILBER.

In presence of- J. W. DYRENFORTH, M. J. BOWERS. 

